The Ghost of Giffords Library
by CSakuraS
Summary: In another world, Eugene and Oliver are never adopted by the Davis family. The twins grow up on American soil, without any support or backing. But fate, or something like it, will still lead Mai to cross their paths... AU
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Ask Mai Taniyama how she chose which country to study abroad in, and the only answer she could give was "intuition."

Having never traveled outside of Japan before in her life, and unlikely to see another such opportunity in the foreseeable future, Mai was at first overwhelmed by the choice before her. A semester abroad. Her one chance to travel and experience a different culture. Where would she go...?

She had no particular favorite, but that wasn't to say she wasn't interested. In fact, every country looked so interesting and worthwhile that she couldn't possibly choose between them. Mai had spent hours pouring over brochures. Considering her concentration in English, it only made sense to go to an English-speaking country, but that still meant choosing between the likes of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, and more. How was she supposed to choose?

In the end, Mai went with her gut. She had been wavering back and forth between the US and UK for nearly a week, but at the very last minute, something within her screamed: _America! America!_

And that's how she wound up at an university just outside of Boston, with a quiet, laid-back suburban campus, close enough to the city that she could easily go sight-seeing on weekends. So far, despite the jetlag, Mai had managed to successfully move into her dorm and gone through orientation. And tomorrow, classes would finally start.

But now, she was having second thoughts. Spring semester began in January, and as she was beginning to find out, New England winters were _blistering_. She'd been here only a few days now, and already there had been a snow storm, effectively bringing her sightseeing plans to a halt. Today, she'd only managed to visit the dining hall and grocery store before freezing winds forced her to take shelter in her dorm room for the rest of the day.

But it wasn't only the weather that discouraged her. Mai had to admit, she was feeling overwhelmed. Everyone here spoke so fast, it was hard to keep up, making her feel stupid whenever she tried talking to someone. And the thought of taking classes entirely in English intimidated her.

She ought to be excited. She had dreamt of this for so long, had saved up for it, working two part-time jobs and studying her butt off to make the grades. She'd only just gotten here...so then why did she suddenly want to go home?

Curled up in bed, Mai sighed. It must be the culture shock setting in. She felt a little pathetic being homesick so soon, but she couldn't deny that right now, she just really wanted to hear a familiar voice.

She supposed that, at times like this, most people would call their family. Since she didn't have that option, Mai decided to try ringing her friends. It was morning in Japan right now. Maybe she'd be able to catch someone before they left for school or work.

After trying a few numbers, someone finally picked up. _"Hello?"_

"Hi, Keiko! Guess who's calling?"

_"Mai? Oh my gosh, is that you? You're calling from America right now?!"_

"That's right! Good ole U.S. of A!"

Keiko let out a small squeal, before quickly lowering her voice. _"Oh, sorry, forgot I was on a train..."_

Mai laughed. "Mind having a chat during your commute?"

There were the expected questions. What's it like over there? How are you adjusting? Are the food portions really that big? Are you ready for your first class? And...

_"So...met any cute American boys yet?"_

Mai snorted. "Saving that for last, were you?"

_"No, seriously! Go find yourself a foreign boyfriend! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Mai! You've gotta take full advantage of it!"_

"That's not why I'm here, though!" Mai groaned.

_"Oh, come on. It might do you some good. Like maybe help you get over Daidouji-kun."_

Mai huffed. "There's nothing _to_ get over, Keiko. He's ancient history."

_"But you haven't dated anyone else!"_

"I just haven't found anyone I like. Besides, I'm trying to focus on school now..."

Keiko scoffed. _"Since when did you become such a serious student? Relax! Go to some parties! Have a fling with a hot guy! Enjoy your youth!"_

"Keiko! I'm trying to be a responsible adult here!" Mai laughed.

_"Mai,"_ Keiko sighed, turning serious, _"I'm only telling you this because someone's got to. I know you have it rough, but don't forget to have fun too, alright?"_

Mai smiled, tears in her eyes. "Okay. Thanks, Keiko."

_"Oh, here's my stop. I've gotta go. It was great hearing from you, Mai! Good luck and stay safe!"_

After she hung up the phone, Mai lay back in bed, suddenly contemplative.

Keiko was right. This was her one chance to live and learn in a foreign country. She had to make the most of it. So what if the weather was lousy or her English wasn't perfect, she would adjust. And as for her loneliness, she would just have to make new friends, among the other visiting students and local students too. That was all part of the experience.

Mai nodded to herself. And why not attend a party or two? It couldn't hurt. Even better if she found someone to go with...

She stared up at the ceiling. "A cute American boy, huh...?"

Actually, there was someone...well technically, they hadn't really met. She wasn't even sure if he was real or just a figment of her imagination, but...

Since the day she'd arrived here, she kept seeing him in her dreams. A teenage boy. She couldn't quite recall his face now, but she was sure it wasn't anyone she'd met before. Or at least remembered meeting.

He never did anything noteworthy. He always just stood in the background, watching her silently. Most of the time she hardly took notice of him, but once or twice their eyes had met, and he'd smiled at her.

Who was he? Why did he keep appearing in her dreams? Maybe he was someone she'd seen at the airport, who for some reason had become burned into her subconscious. Or something like that.

Whatever. Real or not, he was too young for her anyway. Shaking her head at that silly thought, Mai cracked open one of her text books. Stupid jetlag. Hopefully reading about classic literature would put her to sleep.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

January

Friday

Mai's first week of classes went by in a whirlwind of snow and syllabuses. The weather hadn't let up, but she only had to travel around campus, so it wasn't so bad (putting aside the numerous times she'd slipped on icy sidewalks). The classes themselves weren't too bad either, but then again, they'd only just started. She was already fearing next week, when her first assignment would be due.

Mai knew she would have to put at least twice as much time and effort into her work than usual just to keep up. So much for going to parties and so forth; she prepared herself for long hours holed up in the campus library.

Might as well get a head start, she thought. So when her afternoon class was over, Mai headed over there at once.

When she first saw Giffords Library, a large, stately red brick building with white columns at the entrance, Mai had a rather romantic impression of it; she pictured leather chairs, ornate lamps, and antique mahogany desks.

Inside, it was much more modern and ordinary. There were computers, and students sat at unremarkable wooden tables with hard wooden chairs that hurt your butt after an hour of sitting in them. As far as she could tell, the only thing that set it apart from other libraries was how drafty the place was. More than once, Mai would be sitting or wandering among the shelves when she'd feel a sudden chill in the air, even when she was nowhere near the windows or entrance. And she wasn't the only one who felt it; she noticed people tended to keep their coats on in here.

But Mai had no time to mourn the loss of her idealistic dream. She had work to do. She'd already compiled a list of books she might use for researching her first assignment, and quickly set about finding them.

It was when she was looking for the last book on her list that it happened. She'd spotted the book on a high shelf, beyond her reach. Bemoaning her petite stature, Mai looked around for a footstool, and seeing none, looked around again to make sure no one saw her use the bottom shelf as a step ladder.

Putting one foot on the shelf, Mai hoisted herself up and reached for the book. It was still just out of reach of her fingertips. She stretched her arm and got on tiptoes. It was so close. If she could just...

Wait. Did the book just _wriggle?_ Mai stared up at it, open-mouthed, but it had ceased moving. Dismissing it as a trick of her imagination, Mai reached for it again. But this time...

WHOOSH.

The book shot out of its place on the shelf as if it were a rabbit scared out of its hiding place.

Mai gasped in surprise, and at the same time, her foot slipped off the shelf, causing her to stumble backwards and fall ungracefully onto her butt.

The next second, she heard a loud creak. Mai looked up to see the bookcase teetering over her.

"No..."

But then, just as suddenly, the bookcase jolted back upright, with such force that all of its books immediately became dislodged. Mai had only enough time to shriek and cover her head before the heavy books came tumbling down on top of her in a dusty avalanche.

Seconds passed, and the number of falling books dwindled to two, then one, then silence. The dust began to settle. Mai opened her eyes and coughed. She was buried in a pile of books, but she was alive.

"Oww..."

As she groaned, Mai heard a pair of footsteps rapidly approaching, and then a breathless male voice addressed her in English.

"Are you okay?"

In a daze, Mai tried to think of a reply that was at least half-way intelligible. But all words, English or otherwise, failed her when she looked up at her rescuer.

He looked to be around her age or older, with pale skin, jet black hair, and striking dark blue eyes with long eyelashes. He wore a green turtleneck sweater over black slacks, the combination of which accentuated his tall, thin frame.

He also happened to be drop-dead handsome.

Seeing her struggle to speak, the man furrowed his eyebrows and tried again. Only this time, he asked in Japanese. "Are you hurt?"

Mai just gaped at him.

Could anyone blame her for being a little stunned? After all, within the span of a minute or two, she had nearly been crushed by a huge bookcase, pummeled by a barrage of books, and now out of nowhere this gorgeous guy was speaking to her in Japanese.

But maybe she was trying his patience now, because a stony expression slid over his fine features. "Do you have brain damage?" he deadpanned, again in Japanese.

"E-eh?" Mai finally croaked. "Do you mean me?" By reflex, she found herself replying in Japanese too.

He sighed. "I'm certainly not asking the ghost."

"Gh-ghost?"

"Yes. This library is haunted."

Mai stared. Was he joking? But his face was completely serious...

The man held out his hand to her. Automatically, Mai took it and he pulled her to her feet. Once she was standing, he gave her a quick look over with his eyes, then crossed his arms expectedly, as if to say, 'Don't make me ask again.'

"O-oh, yes, I'm fine," Mai stammered. She felt sore all over, but wasn't in any real pain. "Bruised, but not broken," she smiled wryly.

"Good." He turned away at once and began picking up the dislodged books and shelving them. After a second of hesitation, Mai started to help, feeling somewhat responsible. But as soon as she'd picked up a book, he took it from her hands.

He worked quickly, barely even looking at the covers before putting the books back on the shelves. He seemed to know exactly where each one should go...did he have them all memorized?

Mai watched, mesmerized, as his long, thin fingers slid the books smoothly into their rightful places. And the way he stooped to pick up more books and straightened to shelve them- a movement that might look awkward on some, but he managed to pull it off with a natural grace.

Totally ridiculous. No one needed to look that good shelving books.

Mai shook her head, realizing that she was staring. But then a book he held in his hand caught her eye.

"Oh! That's the book I was looking for!"

He paused.

Mai reached for it, but then froze, recalling what had caused all this. "That book...it was so weird...it flew out of the shelf like it was _alive_ or something." She gulped. "And then the bookcase...I don't know what happened. It lost balance, and then it suddenly righted itself..."

He probably wouldn't believe her. She would find it hard to believe herself if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes and the bruises to prove it.

"That sort of thing isn't so uncommon here," he said calmly.

Mai looked up at him, eyes wide. "Wait, do you mean..." her voice fell to a hush, remembering what he'd said earlier, "...it was a ghost that did it?"

"Most likely."

A shiver ran down her spine. A number of popular horror movies ran through her mind. Oh, god. Was it trying to kill her? Was she _cursed?_

But as if he could read her mind, the man shook his head. "I don't think he meant any harm."

"Eh?"

"He was probably only trying to help you reach the book." He frowned at it. "He was just clumsy about it."

"Okay...?" That sounded like an awfully considerate ghost. Was he just trying to make her feel better? But he did seem oddly knowledgeable about it... "Have you...actually _seen_ this ghost?"

"No. I don't see spirits. But my brother does, and he has assured me that the spirit haunting this library is harmless. So don't worry."

Mai was taken aback by this assertion. Usually, when people claimed such things, they liked to brag about it (a certain girl from high school came to mind). But the way he said it, he didn't seem to think it was a big deal at all. Well, he did say it was his brother, not he himself. She wasn't sure if that made him more or less credible though.

"Harmless, huh..." Mai said dubiously, looking at the books on the floor.

"...Accidents happen."

Still, Mai shuddered. Good intentions or not, that still meant a ghost had been standing _right next to her_ when she reached for that book. She rubbed her arms, suddenly feeling cold.

The young man sighed. "I give you my word. This ghost will not hurt you again."

"Really?" Mai looked into his deep blue eyes. Honestly, she didn't know how far she could trust him. But right now...she got the feeling he was being sincere.

"Yes." He hefted the book in his hand. "Now do you still want this or not?"

"Oh! Yeah...thanks."

He handed it to her, and Mai inspected the book. Thankfully, there weren't any ghostly fingerprints or blood or anything of that sort. The cover felt a little warm, but otherwise it was totally normal.

Mai smiled up at him, feeling a little better. Alright. She would believe him, for now.

"My name is Taniyama Mai, by the way. I'm studying abroad for the semester. I'm from Japan."

"Yes, that much is obvious," he muttered, turning his attention back to the shelves.

She winced, but went on. "Are you from Japan?"

"No."

"Have you ever visited?"

"Never."

"Well, your Japanese is really good! You sound almost fluent. Does someone in your family speak Japanese?"

This time he didn't answer, going from one word answers to complete silence. Mai wondered if she'd offended him in some way. She decided to change the subject.

"Speaking of ghosts, my friends and I used to love telling ghost stories. When we were in high school, we'd hang out in the AV room after hours telling each other stories, hoping a ghost might show up if we did. I don't think we ever saw one, but it was still pretty fun."

As she talked, the man finished shelving and began to walk away. Mai followed after him.

"Oh, but there was this abandoned school building on campus that was supposed to be haunted. A girl in my class said it was, anyway, and there were all these stories about it. I heard the principal even hired some exorcists to cleanse it. But then one day, right in the middle of classes, the whole thing just came down. It just fell apart. It was really something. We never found out what the cause was, but it really freaked everyone out..."

The man suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Listen," he sighed, looking back at her. "Do you need something?"

Mai blinked, caught off guard. "Um, no, not really..."

"Then why are you still talking to me?"

Then without another word, he turned and strode away, leaving her frozen on the spot.

If she said she wasn't hurt, she would be lying. Mai was the only Japanese student here, so she hadn't heard a word of the language since her call with Keiko early in the week. Suddenly finding another fluent speaker had been comforting, and he'd seemed nice enough at first, so...

Maybe she had gotten a little carried away. He didn't seem the type to want to strike up a conversation with a stranger. He'd checked if she was injured and put away the books; wasn't that enough?

But still...he didn't have to say it like _that!_ She was only being friendly, after all. He could have just said he was busy or something. Talk about rude.

Mai frowned at his retreating back.

"...Jerk."

* * *

><p>That evening, when Mai looked at herself in the shower, she cringed. With all the bruises she'd attained at the library, along with the bruises she'd already accumulated from slipping on ice outside, a good fifty percent of her body was turning black and blue. If anyone saw her like this, they might think she was being abused.<p>

She groaned. This was probably going to hurt a lot more tomorrow...

But Mai soldiered on. Some girls from one of her classes had invited her to their study group that night, and she wasn't going to miss it. They'd seemed really nice, and Mai was hoping she could become friends with them.

She had a quick dinner and arrived at the small campus cafe just in time. The girls- Kendra, Liz, and Allison- were already there with their books out, and waved at her as she came in. After ordering a hot cocoa, Mai joined them at their table, nervous but eager.

Since classes had just started, there wasn't much to study yet, so they talked about their first assignment and chapters of the textbook they'd read so far. Then they asked her about Japan, and Mai haltingly described life in her country. They listened patiently, and by the end, Mai was feeling proud of herself for managing to sound coherent.

And then, all too quickly, the conversation steered towards that of a more gossipy nature.

Now it was Mai's turn to listen, as the girls talked about the lives of their friends and acquaintances since the start of Winter Break. The pace of the conversation sped up as they became more enthused, and with the people in question all being unfamiliar to her, Mai's attention began to drift.

She sipped at her hot cocoa and glanced out the window. It was snowing again, though thankfully only light snowflakes this time. In the distance, she could see the lights of Giffords Library glimmering in the darkness. Before today, she would have thought it looked picturesque; now it was just spooky.

"What's wrong, Mai? Something on your mind?"

"Yeah, you keep zoning out."

Mai snapped to attention at her name, mentally adding 'zoning out' to the list of phrases she'd have to look up later. "It's not a big deal," she said, shaking her head.

"Are you sure? We're not boring you, are we?"

Truthfully, yes. But she wasn't about to say that out loud, so instead she asked what had been on her mind. "Is it true that the library is haunted?"

They blinked at her.

"Oh, yeah. You noticed?"

"Not everyone does. It isn't obvious unless you spend a lot of time in there."

"I used to study there during my first semester..." Liz shuddered. "Never again. Place gives me the creeps."

"Tell me about it. I saw a chair move by itself once. Scared the crap out of me."

After what Mai had experienced, a chair moving didn't sound like such a big deal. She wondered if she was the only one who had such a big incident happen to her in her first week.

"But he told me it was harmless..."

"Who?"

"Oh, a guy I met at the library today. He was..." Mai pursed her lips, trying to think how to describe him, "...interesting."

The girls exchanged glances.

"Was he handsome?"

"And aloof?"

"And really rude?"

Mai nodded. Apparently he was well known. "Is he a student?"

Kendra scoffed. "Nah, he just works as a Library Assistant." The girls exchanged glances again, smirking. "But _we_ like to call him the Ghost of Giffords Library."

Mai blinked, astonished. "_He's_ the ghost?"

For a moment, she wondered if it was true. After all, he was right there when the accident occurred. But no, he'd _felt_ solid enough...

Liz grinned. "Because he's so pale, you know?"

"And they say the hauntings have gotten worse since he started working there."

"I've never seen him leave the place, either."

"I think he _lives_ there, like the Hunchback of Notre Dame."

"Well _I_ heard he dropped out of high school. God knows how he even got the job. I thought they only hired students for that position, but he's not in any classes."

By now Mai had realized that they were only joking about the ghost thing. Relieved, she sipped her cocoa while the other girls continued to gossip.

"You know what I think?" Allison said. "He's some kind of savant- you know, someone who's a genius at one thing but crap at everything else? Or he's on the autism spectrum."

Liz snickered. "Is that your _professional_ opinion, Miss Psych Major?"

"It's just a theory, okay? It might explain how he got hired. Maybe he's related to one of the school's higher-ups?"

"He has a brother," Mai said abruptly, remembering. "He said he sees ghosts."

They stared at her for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.

"Really? He _said_ that?"

"So he's into _that_ kinda stuff, huh?"

"I told you, he's got an obsessive compulsive thing going on! I bet he spends all day reading up on the occult and lurking around trying to catch ghosts."

They laughed harder. "I can totally see that!"

But Mai frowned at their laughter. This really didn't sit well with her. Taking a deep breath, she said slowly, "So you'll say the library is haunted, and call him a ghost, but then you'll make fun of him for daring to believe in ghosts?"

They stopped laughing. An uncomfortable silence fell on the table.

"...Jeez, Mai, we're only joking around."

"Yeah, you don't have to be so serious."

"Besides, you can't blame us for wanting to pick on him, Mai," Kenda explained. "We've all approached him, at one point or another- with his looks, how can you _not?_- but he's shut us all down. And he's really brutal about it too. It's like he judges you for everything you are...actually, it's like he can see _right through you_." She shuddered. "It's kinda creepy, actually."

"You know what, I've been thinking...maybe he's gay? That would explain it, right?"

"Hmm, I don't know...he's turned down guys too."

"What? Seriously?"

"Where'd you heard that?"

Liz bit her lip, trying and failing not to break into a grin. "...Jerry totally asked him out before Winter Break."

This got them all talking at once.

"Oh my god, no way!"

"I _need_ more details on this. Like _burning_."

"You'll have to ask him," Liz giggled. "He refused to say anything. He did look really put out by it though!"

More giggles.

"God, I've never wanted to be a fly on a wall more badly. Seriously, this is _gold_."

Mai found herself so disgusted by this conversation that she excused herself early, earning her a few looks. As soon as her back was turned, she heard whispers. So much for making friends; they probably wouldn't invite her again. She probably wouldn't accept even if they did.

What was so fun about speculating over someone like that? Curiosity, she could understand- but they were so mean-spirited about it. Just because they'd been turned down? And then they were _gleeful_ hearing someone else was turned down...bitter much?

And true, he hadn't been quite nice to her either...but he hadn't been _awful_. In fact, she probably would have been a lot more scared if he hadn't been there at that moment. Whether he'd intended it or not, his presence had reassured her.

But more than that, something about him stuck with her. Something about his expression when they first laid eyes on each other, before the stony mask came down.

It was a look of worry...and guilt.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As Mai had predicted, the pain from her bruises only worsened the next day.

The timing could not have been worse. A group of other study abroad students were going into the city that weekend, and they'd invited her to come along, but Mai regretfully had to decline. As much as she wanted to, she didn't think she could do much exploring with her body as sore as it was. She would only slow everyone down.

She told them she wasn't feeling well. Which was the truth, but she didn't think anyone would believe her if she explained what actually happened, so she didn't bother. She hoped they wouldn't take it the wrong way...she didn't want to ruin any more chances at making friends.

And so Mai spent another lonely weekend huddled in bed. It was depressing. When was she going to start enjoying herself?

She was sorely tempted to call someone again. But with the price of international calls, that was a luxury she could not afford to indulge in often, and she didn't want to sound desperate for company.

Unwittingly, Mai found herself thinking about that guy from the library again. Good-looking _and_ spoke Japanese... If only he were more sociable, she would be over there in a heartbeat, ghost or no ghost.

...Wow, she really _was_ desperate for company. She didn't even know if he worked weekends.

But at last, Monday morning arrived, and Mai dragged her aching body out of bed for classes. Thankfully, concentrating on school distracted her from her loneliness for the time being, and Mai quickly became caught up in her routine.

* * *

><p>January<p>

Wednesday

Mai stood nervously before Giffords Library. She had been avoiding the place since the accident, but her assignment was due this Friday, and she really needed to start working on it in earnest.

She took a deep breath. "It's okay, he said it won't hurt me..." she said, and pulled open the door.

As soon as she walked in, Mai caught a faint whiff of smoke. Startled, she looked around, but there was no sign of a fire, and the scent was gone almost immediately. And no matter how much she sniffed around afterwards, she couldn't smell it again.

Maybe it was just her imagination...though this _was_ a haunted library. She wasn't sure what would be worse: smoke from an actual fire or that of the fire and brimstone variety. Yes, she would much prefer it to be just her imagination.

Mai shook her head. Concentrate. The sooner she finished her business here, the sooner she could leave.

She returned a few books she'd decided she didn't need, and went to look up a couple more. This time, she dragged a footstool with her when she went searching for the books, but as luck would have it, she couldn't find one of them. It wasn't on its shelf, or on the neighboring shelves, or anywhere near where it should be.

Frowning, Mai looked at the scrap of paper where she'd jotted down the information. It ought to be available, according to the online catalog. Maybe it was misplaced. Mai decided to ask for help.

However, she soon realized that this place was seriously understaffed. The one librarian she could find was at the front desk, busy checking out books for students. There was a long line too. She'd feel bad disrupting. Mai walked around the library again, hoping to find someone else, but it really seemed there was no one else available.

...Except _him_.

She found him standing next to a cart full of books, silently sorting and shelving them. So it was true that he worked here...

Mai approached him awkwardly. She had to admit, she was curious whether any of the other things she'd heard about him were true. Of course, she took all the gossip with a huge grain of salt, but there was an undeniable air of mystery about him that practically invited speculation. There was no way she could ask, though. That would just be rude.

At last, she cleared her throat to get his attention.

He didn't look up.

She cleared her throat again, loudly.

He took no notice.

With customer service skills like this, it was a wonder he kept his job.

She continued standing there until finally, he looked up. "May I help you?" he asked coldly in English.

Mai felt a little disappointed. She'd hoped they could speak in Japanese. Either he had already forgotten about her, or was deliberately trying to put distance between them.

She should have spoken up first. But it was too late; it would just be awkward replying in Japanese now, so Mai reluctantly answered in English. "I need help finding a book please. It isn't where it should be."

She passed him her scrap of paper. He looked at it, then went off to the designated section without a word. Mai followed behind and watched him peruse the shelves just as she had.

Once he'd finished checking to see if it'd been misplaced, he headed over to a computer.

"Are you sure it's still available?" he asked, sitting down and pulling up the online catalog.

"Yes, I just checked twenty minutes ago."

He checked again anyway.

"See?" she said, pointing at the screen. "It's still there!"

"It was worth a look. For all I know, you don't know how to use this thing."

She crossed her arms, pouting. "I'm not _stupid_."

"Could have fooled me," he muttered.

"Hey!" Now that was just uncalled for!

He stood up and went to check the books on some nearby tables.

Mai followed him, frowning. "I'm sorry, did I do something to offend you?"

Silence. He completely ignored her.

"Because if I did, I'll apologize. But otherwise I don't see why I deserve to be treated this way."

More silence.

"Hellooo?"

"I assume you'd like me to actually find this book rather than waste your time engaging in idle chatter?"

The _nerve_ of this guy. Why had she wanted to talk to him again? "Like you're doing much. You're just checking tables. _I_ could do that. If you don't know where it is, you can just tell me."

"I assure you I also loathe wasting time. But there is a reason I'm checking tables. There is a good chance he was using your book."

"He?" Mai blinked, and then it dawned on her. "You don't mean...the ghost?"

He didn't answer.

"The ghost reads books?" she asked incredulously.

"What else do you think he has to do in here?"

Well, she couldn't argue with that logic.

But now she wasn't so sure she wanted the book anymore. She'd rather not get involved with that ghost again, if she could help it. Mai followed at a slower pace now, putting some distance between them as he continued moving among the tables.

Finally, he paused at an unoccupied table that had a stack of books and papers on it. He took a quick look at the papers, examined the books, and pulled one out from the middle of the stack. Then he took a notepad and pen out of his pocket, wrote a short note, tore the sheet out and placed it on top of the stack of papers.

He turned back to her with the book. "Here." It was the one she was looking for.

Mai gulped. She glanced at the note he'd left, but from this distance, all she could make out was that it was addressed to someone whose name started with a C.

"But...won't he want it back?"

"It's fine."

"What if he comes looking for it...?"

"That's why I left a note. He understands that current students' needs take priority. He won't mind."

Hesitantly, she took the book from him. Again, it seemed completely normal.

"Is that all?" he asked.

Mai looked up at him. "You're so...nonchalant about this," she said, amazed.

"I'd have to be, wouldn't I? Not everyone can handle working in a haunted library." Wow, could he have said that any more arrogantly?

"Is that why you were hired, even though you're not a student?" Mai blurted, before she could stop herself.

He stared at her.

"Oh, um...I heard people talking about you..."

"You don't say."

"Yeah..." Mai bit her lip. "They said some awful things, actually..."

"Awful?"

She gripped the book to her chest guiltily. "Well...they called you a ghost, and said you might have a developmental disorder..."

He smirked slightly.

Mai blinked, puzzled by his reaction. "Doesn't that...bother you?"

"Why would it bother me?"

"Because they're gossiping and spreading ridiculous rumors!"

"It's nothing new."

"But...they talk about you like you're some kind of freak!" she huffed.

"I don't see why that should concern you," he said plainly.

He was right. It was none of her business. But still...

Mai looked away. "...I just don't like seeing people bullied."

"I'm not so helpless or sensitive that I need to be defended by someone like you."

Jeez, she wouldn't be surprised if he didn't have _any_ friends, if this was how he treated people being _nice_ to him.

Mai huffed again. "Oh I'm sorry, then I'll try not to make that mistake again!" She grumbled under her breath. "Why'd I even bother? They were just being stupid anyway...honestly, if you weren't hot, I bet they wouldn't even care."

"You think I'm hot?" he asked.

Mai flushed. Did she say that out loud?! "Well...that's what _they_ seem to think..."

"Hm." He looked away, disinterested. "Then at least they have good taste."

Her jaw dropped. She couldn't _believe_ this guy. So he wasn't just a condescending ass, he was a narcissist!

...That's it, from now on she was calling him Naru-chan. Naru-chan the Narcissist!

She chuckled to herself at the oh-too-perfect nickname. But her amusement was short lived. Maybe it was a little hypocritical of her, getting angry at others calling him names, and then calling him one herself...

She looked down at her feet. Would he even answer, if she asked for his name? Probably not. He didn't seem to trust others easily. She couldn't blame him, if he was so used to being bullied...

Mai glanced up at him. He was watching her curiously.

"It _really_ doesn't bother you?" she asked.

Naru sighed. "Do you need to be so persistent?"

She sputtered. "W-well, maybe it's not my place to worry, but...I can't help how I feel, okay?"

He shook his head. "Why should I care what they think?" He picked up a book from the table and began flipping through it. "If anything, it's advantageous. The more people think they know about me, the less they'll feel the need to ask."

"Or maybe they just don't ask because you have a rotten attitude," Mai mumbled.

"Either way, it's convenient."

She rolled her eyes. "Do you just hate talking to people that much? Or do you have something to hide?"

She'd meant it jokingly. Mai expected him to come back with another sarcastic reply, but instead, he just looked up and stared at her, expression unreadable.

...No way. Did she just hit the nail on the head? Mai opened her mouth to speak again, when she heard the grating sound of wood scraping against floor.

Mai whirled around just in time to see a nearby chair scooting away from its table all on its own. Her eyes widened.

Okay. She would take back what she thought before. That was _freaky_.

"O-oh my god...was that..."

Naru showed no reaction. He just stood there, blue eyes studying her carefully. Then he shut his book and placed it back on the table.

Great. The ghost was back. She had to get out of here before it figured out she had its book!

"O-okay, I guess I'll get going now!" She gave Naru a quick wave. "See you, Naru-chan!"

She turned to leave, but then another chair scooted forward, this time right in front of her, blocking her path. Mai gasped and backed away.

"What did you just say?" Naru asked quietly.

Something in the tone of his voice forced her to tear her eyes away from the chair. Slowly, she turned to see his eyes narrowed at her in a cold glare that sent chills down her back.

"Did you just call me 'Naru'?"

"I-I uh..."

Suddenly her heart was pounding. Here she was, stuck between Naru and the ghost, and she honestly couldn't say which of them scared her more right now.

"Where did you hear that?"

"N-nowhere. I just came up with it. You know, 'Naru'...as in naru-cissist?" She laughed nervously. "I don't know your real name, so..."

Was he actually offended? He said he didn't care...

Wait a minute. He asked where she'd _heard_ it?

"Do...do other people call you that too?" Well, it _was_ very fitting.

But Naru didn't answer. He continued scrutinizing her for a moment longer, before letting out an exasperated sigh and walking away.

Mai was torn between relief and fear. The jerk left her alone with the ghost!

Looking back at the chair, Mai gently laid the book back on the table, hoping to appease it. She edged away, and seeing nothing else move, she quickly made her escape.

It was a mistake coming back here after all. She'd had enough of both ghosts and narcissists for a lifetime.

* * *

><p>As usual, Noll came home around half past midnight. Gene was still up, though in his pajamas. He didn't bother to look up from his magazine as he heard the apartment door open and close.<p>

"There's lo mein in the fridge!" he called out. His twin never ate dinner on his own, so he always ordered extra.

Noll said nothing in return, just hung his coat in the closet, and turned the light on in the kitchen. Gene heard the hum of the open fridge. "Shouldn't you be studying," his younger brother muttered.

Gene felt a twinge of annoyance at the fact that Noll could tell he was slacking without even looking. "I already did, _mom_."

"We'll see about that." One of his brother's few past times was checking over Gene's homework.

He heard the door of the fridge close and soon the microwave started up.

Meanwhile, the lights flickered. The bathroom door swung open and the bedroom door slammed shut. The coffee table rattled violently and began to levitate.

His poltergeisting was worse than usual tonight. Something had him agitated.

Gene casually rested his feet on the floating coffee table. "What's eating at you, Noll?" he asked.

For a long while, Noll didn't answer. Only once he'd finished heating up his dinner and came to sit on the couch did he finally speak again. "...There's a girl at the school," he said. "A Japanese study abroad student. She said some...unnerving things today."

Gene looked up in surprise. His brother, talking about a girl? Was hell freezing over? "Unnerving how?"

"Unnervingly accurate."

"Ah," Gene nodded. That explained it. "You think she might be a psychic?"

"It's possible. Though it's just as likely to be merely a string of coincidences."

"If that were the case, you wouldn't be so bothered by it." Gene put his magazine aside and asked seriously, "...You don't think she's working for Elijah?"

"If she were, it would already be too late." Noll paused to eat his noodles, straight-faced as always. "But no, she seems too clueless for that. If she does have ESP, my guess is that she's not yet aware of it."

Gene breathed a sigh of relief. He really didn't want to move again. "Well, do you think she'll snitch on you if she figures it out?"

Noll thought for a moment, then shook his head. "She doesn't seem the type to intentionally spread rumors."

Gene raised his eyebrows. "Well, alright. What's the problem then?"

"What do you mean, what's the problem?" Noll snapped.

"You just said she's not a threat to us."

"I _said_ she won't _intentionally_ spread rumors. There's no telling what she might unknowingly leak to others..."

"So just tell her to keep it secret."

"That would imply I'd have to actually tell her my secret."

"Why not? If she's gonna find out anyway."

"Do you hear what you're saying?" Noll moved to put down his food, realized the coffee table was levitating, and glared at it. The table immediately fell back to the floor.

Gene quickly moved his feet off before his brother could yell at him for that too. "I'm just saying, if she's not a threat, you might as well befriend her. It could be to our advantage."

"That's stupid. Why should I expose myself to a stranger?"

"Quit being stubborn, Noll."

"Quit being stupid, Gene." Noll shoved noodles in his mouth. "There's nothing to prove she's a real psychic, anyway. I'm only speaking hypothetically."

"So _find_ proof, genius. _Then_ we can discuss what to do."

Noll narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "...What exactly are you playing at?"

Gene grinned. "What, can't your older brother think it'd be nice if you actually made a friend? And a _girl_, to boot."

Noll scowled. "Don't be ridiculous."

"So what's her name? Is she cute?"

His scowl deepened. "Why should I know her name?"

"You could try _asking_ her. Don't you know that's the first step in making friends?"

"Pointless."

"See, Noll, this is exactly why I get laid and you don't. You're wasting that beautiful face of ours."

Noll heaved an exasperated sigh. "Another word, and I'm eating in the bedroom."

"That's terrible manners, Noll."

"And what would you call the manners of someone who put their feet on a table people use to eat on?"

"Alright, alright, I get it." Gene opened his magazine again, still grinning. His brother drove him crazy sometimes. So it was only fair that he drove _him_ crazy too.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Mai did her best to put the latest incident at the library off her mind. Thankfully, she soon found the perfect distraction. The group of study abroad students were gathering for dinner at the local Irish pub on Saturday night, and Mai pounced at the opportunity.

She'd already met most of them during orientation, but she took this chance to reacquaint herself with the group. Though some of them had thick accents that she found difficult to decipher, Mai found herself impressed with everyone's level of English fluency. There was something beautiful about the fact that, despite coming from countries all around the world, they were all united in the same experience, all speaking the same language.

Of course, she still couldn't help feeling a little left out; many had already formed fast friendships over the previous weekend. But if this was going to be a weekly thing, she still had plenty of time, and Mai was able to spend the night talking and laughing to her heart's content.

Overall, she had a great time, and her good mood persisted through all of Sunday too.

And then it all came crashing down Monday morning, when she got the grade back for her first assignment.

It was dismal.

If she were at home, she would have called up one of her friends to cry about it, and they would have taken her out for ice cream to cheer her up. But she wasn't close enough with anyone here to do that. And she wasn't in the mood for ice cream anyway with these frigid temperatures.

So Mai bought herself a cafe mocha at the campus cafe to douse her sorrows.

Sitting alone sipping her drink, Mai mulled over what she should do. This wasn't exactly a great start to the semester.

Maybe English just wasn't her thing after all. All the other study abroad students seemed so capable. But as for her, it had just been one disaster after another. What was she even _doing_ here?

Mai grabbed a napkin and covertly dabbed at her eyes. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She didn't want to start crying in the middle of a cafe.

This wasn't the first time she'd had doubts about her choice in major. Maybe she should have gone with something else. But even now, she had no idea what she would have chosen otherwise...

Mai shook her head. There was no use regretting it now. She was already here. She _had_ to do better next time. So what could she do to improve?

Maybe a change in environment would help. She had to admit, it was difficult concentrating in her dorm, especially in the evenings. The walls were paper thin, which meant she heard everything going on in the surrounding rooms, from impromptu drinking parties to...other nightly activities. She'd resorted to wearing headphones and listening to music just to sleep, but she found music a bit distracting when she was studying.

Maybe she could study in the cafe? But it tended to get crowded; there was no guarantee that she could secure a table, and she'd feel guilty taking up that much space by herself. Not to mention it could get noisy in here too, and she'd probably run into Kendra and the others...she'd rather not overhear any more crude gossip.

What other options were there? Maybe something off campus? But she'd rather not walk too far, considering the weather...

Her gaze wandered out the window, and...there it was, Giffords Library. A potential solution to her problem.

"Ugh," Mai groaned.

After all, that's where she had been planning to study in the first place, before she discovered it was haunted. Would she be able to concentrate in there though? Certainly not if a ghost kept throwing books and furniture at her. And she couldn't deny that what happened at the library had distracted her for the rest of the week, when she ought to have been focusing on her work.

But she didn't have any problem with the place until that first incident, when she met Naru...

Come to think of it, Naru had been there both times the ghost showed up. Maybe it liked to hang around him? He did seem to get along with it, if his little handwritten note indicated anything...

But no, she couldn't blame _him_ for her grade. That would be irresponsible. She was the one who was too chicken to go back to the library, who let her fear affect her concentration. Technically, Naru hadn't done anything but help her out. It wasn't his fault.

Mai drummed her fingers on the table, thinking. Maybe...if she just avoided him, the ghost would leave her alone? That seemed simple enough to do. It wasn't like Naru would miss her company anyway. He'd probably already forgotten about her all over again.

She sighed. It was worth a try, at least.

* * *

><p>After the incident last Wednesday, Oliver didn't see the girl come in for the rest of the week. Consequently, he figured he must have scared her off for good this time. It was no skin off his back if that were the case. He'd already revealed too much, and she had that unnerving knack for guessing things correctly. It would be for the best if she didn't return.<p>

But when he saw her back on Monday evening, busy studying at a table, it gave him pause. He circled the area a few times, pondering his move. He could always just ignore her, as he usually did with people. And yet...

_Find proof_, Gene had said. Annoyingly, his brother had a point. There was no use in worrying over something that may not even be true. It might be risky, but he had to be sure if the girl had ESP. He decided to take it as a challenge.

However, he did not fancy starting a line of inquiry on his own. At least, not in an obvious way. It would be too much of a hassle, and he did not want to give the false impression that he was 'interested.' That would be even more of a hassle.

Nodding to himself, Oliver decided on a plan of action. He approached her table, book under his arm. Then, taking the seat across from her, he sat down, and without a word to acknowledge her, opened his book and began reading.

Her reaction was predictable, her emotions easy to read- first, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped in surprise. Then her brows furrowed in confusion. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Then she pursed her lips and turned her attention back to her work, trying to ignore him. But her hand gripping her mechanical pencil shook with growing frustration. He counted the seconds.

She snapped.

"Shouldn't you be working?" she growled in Japanese.

This again. Japanese had always been his and Gene's 'secret' language. He never used it with anyone else, even when he came across other Japanese speakers...until now. He'd been careless; at the time, it seemed like the fastest way to get a coherent reply out of her. And now she couldn't let it go. Which was exactly the reason why he didn't like using it with other people.

But fine, just this once, he would humor her.

"I'm on my break," he replied in Japanese.

"You spend your breaks in here too?" she asked incredulously.

He did, in fact, spend the entire day here, even when he wasn't on the clock. "I don't think that's any of your business."

She huffed and attempted to focus on her work again. But it was only a matter of time before she cracked. Yes, experience told him that people liked to talk, regardless of whether he wanted them to or not. He did not need to initiate a conversation; she would do it for him.

He had planned to use this time for reading anyway. If she didn't take the bait, he wouldn't lose anything. If she was provoked, it would be her own fault. If she asked probing questions, that would only reveal how much _she_ knew, as he was not obligated to reply. Yes, this seemed like an efficient use of his time.

And besides, it was amusing seeing her get so worked up.

* * *

><p>She couldn't believe it. He was just <em>sitting there<em> and he was getting on her nerves.

While she wouldn't have thought much of it or even minded if it were anyone else, this was _Naru_. Reclusive, antisocial Naru, who didn't seem to want anything to do with her, even now. But if he wanted to avoid talking, why sit across from her? Why not just go to an unoccupied table? What did he _want?!_

This was driving her crazy, and did not help her concentration at all. Maybe she should just move to another table. But that would feel like admitting defeat. And what if he moved _with_ her? While that seemed unlikely, she couldn't have anticipated this would happen either.

She glanced up at him again, but his attention was focused firmly on his book. It was irritating just how indifferent he looked. He _was_ doing this on purpose, right? She almost hoped he was trying to annoy her because it was embarrassing to think she was getting this worked up over nothing.

Well, at least there was one thing she could feel triumphant about.

"So, you'll speak to me in Japanese now?" she asked with a small smirk.

He glanced up at her very briefly. "Better than having to endure your attempts at English, I suppose."

"Excuse me?"

"Your pronunciation is poor. I'm surprised anyone can take you seriously."

"Gee, _thanks_."

"And you call yourself an English major?"

Mai's face flushed. After her latest grade, this especially stung. What was his deal? Sure, maybe her pronunciation wasn't the best, but he didn't have to come out and _say_ it!

"Well then how many languages have _you_ mastered, smartass?"

"Five. I'm still working on Russian."

"Wow," she said, raising her eyebrows. "You must have a lot of spare time."

He was silent for a moment. Then he shut his book with a snap and abruptly got up from his seat. But instead of leaving, he went to a nearby bookcase and began browsing the shelves, his back turned to her.

Mai stared. Did she...touch a nerve? Why? Rumors and mean gossip didn't seem to faze him, but he was bothered by _this?_

She quickly rethought her statement. The guy was obviously smart (maybe too smart for his own good), but he wasn't a student. Instead, he worked seemingly full time as a Library Assistant. Surely he would want to enroll if he was able to? Unless there were circumstances that prevented him from doing so...

She felt a twinge of regret. She could understand that, perhaps better than most people. She counted herself incredibly fortunate to be able to attend college now, and even study abroad for a whole semester, but it took a lot of work, and a hard-won scholarship, and she still worried about paying off her loans after graduation.

Mai bit her lip. Maybe she should apologize. But then, he was the one who started it by degrading her, wasn't he?

She opted to change the subject instead.

"How'd you know I was an English major, anyway?"

"...An educated guess, based on your choice of books and the fact that you chose to study abroad here."

"Oh. Right." There were many English majors among the study abroad students, so that did make sense.

Mai sighed dejectedly. "...English was actually my worst subject in high school. Well, one of them," she admitted sheepishly.

He paused. "...So why major in it?"

She shrugged. "I didn't know what else I wanted to do, and English seemed like it would at least be useful. Like maybe it could land me a job where I could travel, or do something interesting."

"Ah. You're one of those types."

"What do you mean?"

"The type of student who attends college not because they have a specific goal in mind, but because they feel obligated to due to parental and societal pressures."

Mai flushed again. She couldn't deny it, but having it spelled out like that... "Oh sure, maybe I'm just a boring person with no dreams or ambitions of my own. But even boring people have to eat, you know. Those are just the times we live in. You can't get a good job if you don't have a degree in _something_, right?"

He was silent.

Crap. She did it again. "W-well, I mean, there are exceptions! And not everyone who has a degree is guaranteed a good job either...unless you have connections and stuff...and besides, money can't buy happiness!"

The silence was deafening. Mai wanted to crawl into a hole.

She groaned, burying her head in her arms. "Though I guess I'm not one to talk...I'm the one who was stupid enough to choose a major that would be tough on me. And if I fail, it would've all been for nothing. Just a waste of time and money..."

This was a real fear of hers, failing at college. If she couldn't graduate, if she couldn't find a decent job, if she couldn't pay off her loans...what would become of her then?

At last Naru spoke. "I never said it was wrong to pursue a good education. If you have the means, it makes sense. But most people in your position would choose something easy just to get it over with. Instead, you deliberately chose a difficult path; it shouldn't come as a surprise that you'd struggle."

"I know..."

"...But I can respect someone who works hard, even if they don't have the talent or intelligence to back it up."

Mai looked up at him in surprise, not sure if she should feel flattered or insulted.

"You may not have a concrete goal, but at the very least, you're moving forward," he said quietly, back still turned to her. "You ought to appreciate that."

She smiled faintly. "Yeah, I guess..."

"Of course, I question whether hard work would even be enough in your case, if your English is still at this level."

Her smile quickly turned into a frown. "Well that's why I'm studying, isn't it? Or at least I _was_, until someone had to come and break my concentration!"

"If your concentration is so easily broken by someone's mere presence, then you do have a problem."

And that problem is _you_, she wanted to scream. "Well maybe my English isn't good enough for _your_ standards, but I'll have you know that I am _not_ as stupid or incompetent as you think I am!" she growled.

"And what makes you think that?"

"Because I'm _here_, aren't I?" she said proudly, standing up. "I made it here all on my own, without anyone's help! _That's_ something!" That's right. She was in _America!_ She had already come this far, who was to say she couldn't go all the way?

He turned to look at her. "...You may have a point."

This caught her off guard. But before she had time to think of a reply, he went on.

"Also, if you raise your voice like that again, I will have to ask you to leave. Might I remind you, this is a _library_."

Mai's mouth flapped uselessly for a moment, before she ground out through grit teeth, "You can't kick me out, you're on _break_...!"

He glanced at the clock on the wall. "My break just ended two minutes ago."

"Oh, is that right?!" Mai grabbed her books, stuffed them roughly in her bag, then stomped right up to him. "Well then _excuse me_, I need to go outside and SCREAM."

Then she promptly turned and stormed out of the library.

And yet once she was outside, and had time to cool her head, Mai realized that she felt a whole lot better about her situation. Weird. Who would've thought that talking to _Naru_ of all people would give her exactly what she needed?

But the end result was that she still didn't know what to make of him. He alternately cheered her up and pissed her off- or even both at the same time. It was confusing and incredibly frustrating.

But at least the ghost left her alone this time. It made no appearance during her next few visits either. And Naru was easy to avoid now that she knew what time his break was. She proved this with an experiment.

When she came back on Tuesday evening, Mai made sure to sit at a different table than the one she did previously, just in case she'd unknowingly chosen a table Naru happened to frequent. Then, at the same hour, she left the library, taking her things with her but leaving some books to save her place, and returned just a few minutes before the end of his supposed break.

She found him sitting at her vacated table, just across from where she'd been sitting. Mai watched him secretly from behind a bookcase until the hour was up, at which time he shut his book and left the table.

Somehow, instead of being annoyed, she felt oddly amused. Mai returned to the table with a small smile. Was he disappointed that he'd missed her?

From then on, she decided to stop questioning it. He joined her at her table the next day too, and the day after, and Mai didn't bother to complain. Actually, she got used to it fairly quickly. It's not like he ever said anything to her, and it was only for one hour, so it didn't affect her concentration now that she'd gotten over the shock. And he could be somewhat companionable when he kept his mouth shut. So he could sit there and look pretty all he wanted. She wouldn't let it get to her.

Giffords Library turned out to be a viable option after all. Mai didn't even dread her visits anymore. Whatever Naru or the ghost decided to dish up, she decided she could handle it. She wouldn't let them scare her away from accomplishing her goals.

* * *

><p>The week was almost over, and Oliver was growing frustrated. He'd gotten no more information out of the girl since he first started sitting with her.<p>

Well, that wasn't quite true. If there was one thing he was now sure about, it was that she truly posed no threat. She'd stopped talking to him or asking questions. She'd lost interest in him sooner than expected. It usually took much longer for girls to get over him, and here he was, practically offering himself on a plate. But if she was a statistical anomaly, she was at least a harmless one. If he just left her alone, there should be no problem.

So why was he still investigating her?

The answer came to him rather easily. Curiosity. He _wanted_ to know if he was right. If he was being honest with himself, the challenge had, for a time, provided some distraction from his mind-numbing existence. But as things stood now, it wasn't much different from just sitting in the break room.

His current strategy was convenient. Comfortable, even. But it was getting him nowhere.

Oliver sighed. Perhaps it was time to step out of his comfort zone.


End file.
